“Touch” Connects: Impressions of Estonian Designers from Habitare

In the The Block section of the fair, Estonian design brands 92 Layers, Studio Raili Keiv and Plyland showcased their work. At the joint stand of Tallinn Design House, the following brands were represented: Kaidi Kaasik, Kelpman Textile, Miurio, TuulestTekstiil and WOH.

In addition to visiting the fair, the designers also took part in a meeting at the Estonian Embassy in Helsinki, where Cultural Counsellor Grete Ahtola and Head of the Consular Department Maiga Võsu introduced the embassy’s activities and possible areas of cooperation.

This year’s Habitare theme, “Touch”, explored our human need to experience the world through different senses. “The need to touch and to feel is something eternally human and, at the same time, it provides balance for an increasingly digitalized society,” explained Habitare’s Creative Director Päivi Helander.

The exhibition area was divided into several thematic sections, including Habitare Choice, Habitare Design Competition, Habitare Talents and Habitare Materials. The latter was larger than ever before this year – curated by NEMO architects Jussi Laine and Maria Klemetti Laine. Material samples displayed on shelves, accompanied by producer information, allowed visitors to test, feel and combine them in different ways. This exhibition also received significant attention earlier this year at Milan Design Week. “The material collection encourages visitors to play with different samples, to experience and experiment, and to think beyond the surface of the material,” the architects explained.

Over five days, Estonian designers presented their work to the Finnish audience, explored other exhibitions, attended shows and listened to panel discussions. “The interest in Estonian design exceeded expectations, and this is truly gratifying. We are very welcome here among our northern neighbours. We certainly wish to continue showcasing Estonian design at Habitare in the future,” said Monika Pärnsalu, Project Manager at Tallinn Business Incubator.

The designers also shared their impressions:

• Heleen Kurvet (92 Layers):“Participating in Habitare was truly eye-opening. I could not have imagined such a warm, supportive and enthusiastic reception from the Finnish public. Even after the fair, people are still writing to me, asking about products or sharing valuable suggestions. Habitare gave me a great boost of positivity.”
• Raili Keiv:“It is valuable to get feedback from outside Estonia – such a perspective is extremely useful and important. Habitare is an inspiring fair with its exhibitions, talks and events. Everything is well-organized yet pleasantly approachable and human in scale. I am a big fan of Finnish design and have visited Habitare privately many times. I received a lot of positive feedback from local designers and students. I hope such opportunities will arise again.”
• Marge Veelmaa (TuulestTekstiil):“Habitare provided a good overview of interior trends and confirmed that natural materials and craftsmanship are highly valued. The feedback to my products was very positive – visitors appreciated their uniqueness, colours and natural beauty of the materials. It was clear that Finns like Estonian design and handicraft. We are also considering participating with our brand in the future and exploring cooperation opportunities with the embassy.”
• Rita Assor (Miurio):“A big thank you to the incubator and the Tallinn Design House team for their full support – both in setting up the stand and in on-site sales! I am glad I participated in the Habitare interior fair in Helsinki: it was inspiring to personally meet and talk to visitors at the booth. I was impressed by the abundance of family businesses and the continued vitality of the textile industry. The high quality of products, as well as the talkativeness and openness of the Finns, left a deep impression on me. I sincerely believe that the Finnish market and Estonian design have great cooperation potential – this is certainly a realistic path for (creative) business growth in our region.”

The presentation of Estonian design at Habitare showed that the work of our creators is welcomed and appreciated by the Nordic audience. We look forward to presenting Estonian design at Habitare again next year.

The visit to Habitare was co-financed by the European Union and the project “Tallinn Creative Incubator support services for sustainable development and export capacity of creative entrepreneurs.”